Rush to Love
by Age of Edward Contest
Summary: Bella Swan and her family will soon be homeless, but she has a plan to save them. She and Edward will compete against thousands of others in one of the most unusual events in the history of the world.


The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Rush to Love**

March 24, 1889

Bella Swan walked briskly down the narrow path that led to the small brick church in the town of Forks, Kansas. Her heart was racing because Edward Cullen would be attending church today. Edward had finished his medical studies and had just returned home to work with his father, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Bella smiled remembering Edward's last letter full of endearing words. He had always been more than a friend to her. Bella stepped into the church and tried to nonchalantly scan the churchgoers who were quietly chatting before the service began.

"Good morning, Miss Bella," greeted one of the ushers. "I have a seat reserved for you. Please step this way."

Bella wanted to find her own seat near Edward, but the usher had a big smile and made a show of being helpful. She sighed to herself and reluctantly followed Mr. Banner, the head usher. She saw that he was leading her to Edward, who was seated and also scanning the crowd.

"Bella!" exclaimed Edward. "It is so good to see you!" Edward's green eyes sparkled while he spoke with Bella and he sat close enough so their shoulders and arms touched during the service. He tried to ignore how his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her. He shared his hymnbook during song time and had a sweet smile for her. She blushed and appreciated how Edward made her feel special with the smallest gestures. After church, Edward's family invited the Swans to dinner at the Cullen farm.

The people milled about outside the church to socialize for a few minutes before returning to their homes for Sunday dinner. Edward could not keep his eyes off of Bella while she greeted her friends, Angela and Jessica, but then noticed someone else. Aro Volturi was standing in the shadows in the doorway of a nearby store. The way he stood there observing people made Edward stop in his tracks. Edward reached into his coat pocket and patted the folded wanted poster for Aro that he had torn off of a wall near the college. He planned to show it to Carlisle and discuss the best way of dealing with the dangerous man living in their midst.

After dinner and a toast to congratulate Edward for completing college, the young people changed clothes so that they could go horseback riding in the pasture. Edward's siblings, Alice and Emmett, brought their horses from the corral. Emmett's wife, Rosalie, and Bella's brother, Jasper, also joined them with their own horses. Edward had a silvery-gray horse with a shiny coat, and he called him Velvet. Bella had a beautiful, reddish-brown horse with a white star on his forehead. She called him Meteor because he could move so fast.

They rode their horses at a leisurely pace, each of them knowing what was about to happen next.

"All right," Emmett called over to Bella. "It is time to declare a champion today. Any one of us could win."

"Whatever you say," said Bella laughing quietly, trying not to appear too confident.

They all lined up their horses at the starting line. At the count of three, they took off at a gallop. Hairpins flew out of the girls' styled hair, leaving their long hair flying in the breeze. The men were trying not to laugh while they concentrated on winning the race. They all saw with their own eyes why Bella's horse was called Meteor. Her horse seemed to enjoy beating everyone else in a race, as if he knew how important it was to win. Bella and Meteor reached the goal long before the others, with Edward and Velvet coming in second.

"The humiliation," muttered Emmett in mock disgust.

After a happy day of socializing, laughing, and eating cake and lemonade for dessert, the Cullens bade farewell to the Swans. Edward helped Bella step up into their carriage and held her hand briefly. She smiled shyly at him, and her father cleared his throat. Next, Emmett and Jasper helped Mr. Swan up. Charles Swan had recently been shot and wounded outside of town. Dr. Cullen said he would recover, but he was unable to return to work as sheriff right away.

Aro Volturi, the recently promoted bank vice-president, had declared loudly that if Charles could not do his job, he would need to be replaced. He also said that Charles' mortgage would be due within sixty days, or he would lose his house. Since Aro controlled many of the mortgages, he was able to intimidate and bully people in the town. His nephew, Alec, was the deputy and soon became the sheriff. Charles tried to find other work, but no one would hire him in fear of Aro's retaliation. The Swans had some money in reserve, but it would soon run out.

The Swan household became quiet and tense.

That Friday, Bella and Jasper stopped by Newton's General Store. Jessica Newton greeted them with a bright smile. "Bella, I have a surprise for you! A bookseller sent me an extra book for the shop. I know how you like this author." She handed Bella a copy of _Journey to the Center of the Earth_ by Jules Verne. "Women hardly ever go on adventures like in these stories. We are not even able to vote!" she scoffed with mild indignation.

Bella hummed in reply. She was, however, very appreciative of the gift. She loved to read, but since there was not an actual bookstore in Forks, Bella and her friends traded whatever books they had. After Bella had purchased a bag of sugar and some coffee, she thanked Jessica again for the gift and stepped outside with Jasper to return home.

That evening, Bella heard a knock at her bedroom door. It was Jasper, and he had an anxious expression on his face. "What is the matter?" Bella asked with concern.

"Bella, we will not be able to stay in Forks much longer. If we are unable to pay the mortgage, Aro Volturi and his men will run us out of town. He is dangerous and I think he is responsible for Pa being shot. We will need to leave soon."

Bella frowned and began to pace the floor nervously. "Maybe there is something we can do. Pa is still recovering from the gunshot wound and cannot travel far, but you and I can." She pulled out a newspaper from between a stack of books. "Look at this article from the _Kansas City Daily Journal_ **.** They are giving away land in Oklahoma. Giving it away! We just have to be there to race for it." Bella was excited thinking about her family owning land, free and clear, for a new home.

Jasper took the newspaper and read it closely. "This is real? President Harrison has declared two million acres from the Unassigned Lands available for homesteaders, and all they have to do is race for it on the twenty-second of April." He read the article over and over again, and then pressed his hand against his forehead before reading once more. "Instead of drawing names, people will race for a one hundred sixty acre parcel of land. Single women are eligible to compete. With you riding Meteor, you will surely be one of the fastest riders."

"That's what I was hoping," whispered Bella excitedly. "I'm old enough since I just turned twenty-one. Since the race is less than a month from now, we need to leave right away. When we get settled, we can send word for Ma and Pa to join us in Oklahoma."

"Yes, we need to go now and get the lay of the land. Tomorrow we will pack and get supplies for the trip. We can tell the Cullens about our plan. Maybe they will want to join us."

Bella was excited thinking about taking part in the race, but she was even more excited thinking about seeing Edward again.

The following morning, Bella and Jasper hitched their wagon and traveled to the Cullen house. Bella wore her button top leather boots and her favorite gray dress. They were surprised to see an unfamiliar horse and carriage outside. They walked up the porch steps to the stately front door. Jasper knocked on the door, and after a few minutes, Alice answered. "Jasper...and Bella," she said loudly, but lacking the usual joy when she greeted them. "Please, come in." Jasper and Bella exchanged looks.

Dr. Cullen and his wife Esme, along with Emmett and Rosalie, came to greet them. They were friendly, but their smiles seemed strained.

Bella took in a short breath, sensing the tension in the air. There was a little tightening in her heart and she tentatively asked, "Is Edward here?" No sooner had she spoken, than Edward came into the room with a beautiful young woman gripping his arm tightly. She was almost as tall as Edward and her hair was styled in golden ringlets. She wore a pale pink silk gown and looked like she was from a fairy tale. Bella wondered why she had thought Edward would be impressed with her own gray dress.

"Hello, Bella and Jasper, this is Kate," said Edward in a tense voice. "She and her father, Dr. Gerandy, live near the college. Dr. Gerandy is a friend of Father's from their school days." Edward looked around the room uncomfortably.

Kate gushed, "We are so excited to visit Edward and his family. He is going to keep me so amused! He looked so dashing at Winter Cotillion at the college!" Kate gave Bella a quick once over then kept her eyes on Edward's face.

Jasper cleared his throat. "Well, yes, we cannot stay, but I need to speak with Alice and Emmett. Could we step outside for a few minutes? We are on our way to buy provisions at Newton's Store and need to get home by sundown." Bella bade farewell to the Cullens and Kate, even though the other girl would not meet Bella's eyes. Bella glanced at Edward, and he had an angry expression on his face. He muttered goodbye to Jasper and Bella, then led Kate outside onto the back porch. He could barely be heard as he spoke to Kate in a low voice.

Jasper put his arm around Bella's shoulders and nudged her to go outside with him. As soon as they were outdoors, Jasper told Alice and Emmett their plan to take part in the Land Rush. Alice and Emmett were wide-eyed with excitement and said they would talk to their family and see if they could also participate. They did not like the way Aro bullied everyone and did not expect things to improve.

Bella was very quiet on the way home and her eyes felt damp. The excitement she had felt on the way to visit Edward was replaced with a heavy feeling in her chest and stomach. Jasper finally said, "Can you imagine Kate riding a horse yelling, "Yee-haa!" Bella burst out laughing, because no, that was very unlikely indeed. However, that did not change the fact that Kate was able to put her hand on Edward's arm and leave it there. Bella brooded all the way home.

After supper, Jasper showed the newspaper to Pa and Ma and said this might be the best plan to find their new home.

Pa read the newspaper article several times, adjusting his reading glasses as if it would make some new information more noticeable. He took off his glasses and cleaned them. "This is a very risky endeavor. You will be competing against thousands of others. The race itself will be dangerous."

Ma was usually very quiet and deferred to Pa, but in this case she spoke up, "Charles, they will be careful. We all know that Bella will be one of the fastest people there. She will probably be the first one to grab a claim." Ma usually did not brag about her children, but it was a known fact that Bella was an extraordinary rider. "We have to face the fact that we will be without a home soon, Charles," she said in a calm voice, looking into his eyes.

Charles reluctantly agreed to their plan. Jasper and Bella were going to leave with the covered wagon before Aro learned of their trip. Just as Bella was about to put out the oil lamps, she heard someone riding up. The rider jumped off his horse, ran up to the house, and pounded on the door. Bella opened the door cautiously. There stood Edward. His eyes were filled with emotion, and his coppery hair was in disarray. He asked Bella if she would step outside so they could talk. Bella looked over her shoulder to see if she had permission. Before Charles could speak, Ma nodded her head yes. Pa made a gruff sound and folded his arms over his chest, but he did not argue with Ma.

Edward asked Bella to sit on the porch swing. It broke his heart to see Bella look so sad as she kept her eyes on her hands in her lap. "Bella," he said quietly, "the dean of the college asked me to play the piano for Winter Cotillion. When it was over, Dr. Gerandy and Kate introduced themselves. They said they planned to visit our home, but I did not know when they would arrive. I did not escort Kate or even dance with her. They are just visiting and will leave in a few days." Edward carefully covered Bella's hands with both of his. "I wanted to finish my medical studies and become an established doctor before getting married. You and I have been more than friends, but I have taken too much for granted. Now you are leaving Forks and leaving me. I had hoped for a more romantic occasion, but I cannot wait any longer to ask. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

"But what about Kate?" asked Bella quietly, trying hard not to sniffle.

"Tsk," scoffed Edward. "Kate is here to make her long-time beau, Garrett, jealous. She has a flair for the dramatic, as you saw today. She came here to get his attention and let him know that she was not always going to wait around for him. We received a telegram from Garrett today asking her to please return home right away, or else he will be on the next train here. I think she has his attention now," he chuckled softly, brushing Bella's tears away from her face.

Bella was surprised at the sudden turn of events. She said, "I have to think about my family first. Aro Volturi is dangerous, and we will be without a home soon. Getting homestead land is a chance for a new life and freedom from Aro."

Edward shook his head in disgust. "I know for sure that Aro is vile and cannot be trusted. Emmett and Alice have convinced Father to take part in the Land Rush and give our family a new start, too. He is inviting your parents to stay at our house while we travel to Oklahoma. We will help them move there. Father said they could watch over the farm while the hired help takes care of your parents."

"Pa is very proud, but I think he will be happy to help with the work while he is there," Bella said hopefully.

"But Bella, will you marry me? I love you. It has always been you," Edward looked at her with sincere hope.

Bella smiled with happy tears in her eyes and said, "Yes!"

Edward smoothed her hair away from her face, then slid his hands down her neck and held her shoulders. He pulled her close and held her tightly as they shared their first kiss.

That night, Carlisle Cullen was deep in thought. He was wealthy, educated, and a shrewd businessman. He was kind and compassionate, but that compassion ended when his family was threatened. Carlisle realized he had become complacent in Forks where they had lived peacefully for years. With new cities in Oklahoma about to spring up overnight, he saw opportunities for his family that no one could have ever dreamed of before now. Carlisle saw that their current way of life would diminish before long. He had worked too hard all these years to continue living under the rule of a petty tyrant. It was time to move on. Aro's control was preventing Forks from growing; in fact, people were moving away whenever they could. Although Carlisle was interested in starting a new life in Oklahoma, he felt a moral obligation to help the people of Forks before he left. It was clear that Charles Swan had been shot by Aro's men. Carlisle had no doubt that there would soon be another victim.

Before Edward had returned home from college, he and his friends went to a saloon for some drinks and to listen to the music. The saloon was lively and crowded. Edward leaned against a wall and thought about seeing Bella when he arrived home. While he drank from his mug, he overheard some men talking about Aro Volturi. They said he was wanted for murder and bank embezzlement. Aro had virtually disappeared, but people suspected that he was living somewhere in a small town. The next day Edward went to the sheriff's office to look at the wanted posters. Sure enough, there was one with Aro's picture that said he was wanted "Dead or Alive." He took a copy  
of the poster to show Carlisle and folded it before putting it in his pocket.

After the Gerandys returned home, the Cullen home was in a flurry preparing for their trip to Oklahoma. Each person worked quickly. Esme, Rosalie, and Bella worked with the kitchen help packing food into crates and loading them onto the wagons. Jasper and Emmett got the horses and their food ready. Alice packed clothes for everyone, trying very hard not to pack too much.

Carlisle and Edward went to one of the storage buildings and pulled out tents and cots that Carlisle had saved from his army days. "I never thought that these would be used for a family trip," chuckled Carlisle.

Edward nodded. "These are exciting times. A week ago none of us could have imagined this." Edward was elated that Bella was a part of his life and would be traveling with his family.

Before their departure, Carlisle and Edward went to the telegraph office. Seth Clearwater, the telegraph clerk, raised his eyebrows at the messages being sent. Edward said to him in a low voice, "For the safety of our families and the people of Forks, we ask that you keep these messages private. If all goes well, we will be moving to a new town. You are welcome to work for us there. It will be a great place to start a new life for you and your young family."

Seth had always been impressed with how noble and generous the Cullens were. Working for them in a new land was an opportunity that he would not pass up. He stood up and shook Edward's hand firmly, "You can trust me to keep quiet."

One of Carlisle's telegrams had been to Alistair Mortin, a U.S. Marshal and bounty hunter, informing him about the wanted poster for Aro. A few years ago, Alistair had banged on Carlisle's door in the middle of the night, carrying his young nephew who had been attacked by a bear. Although he was a hardened man, he had a soft spot for children and left him in Carlisle's care. When Carlisle refused to accept any money, Alistair said that he owed him a debt and to send for him if he ever needed his services. He was a solitary man and one of the deadliest bounty hunters in the country. Carlisle knew that he would do whatever it took to bring Aro to justice.

Aro liked to keep track of the people in Forks. After several days of not seeing the Cullens in town, Aro and his hired men, Marcus and Caius, burst into the telegraph office. "Dr. Cullen was here a few days ago. Show me the telegrams he sent."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Volturi," replied Seth in a steady voice. Aro grabbed the file box from Seth's hands and shuffled through the papers. Dr. Cullen had sent an inquiry about riverboat sailings on the Mississippi River and had received a reply with some sailing dates. Aro read the messages, and his eyes narrowed with suspicion. He now realized that the Cullens would be gone for weeks. Something felt wrong to him, but he decided to shrug it off in the meantime. He would find out more after they returned.

Seth breathed a sigh of relief after Aro left. He smiled to himself thinking about the other telegram messages that were safely hidden under the floorboards.

The Cullens, Bella, and Jasper left their homes for the nearest train station at three in the morning so that no one in Forks would notice their departure. Carlisle insisted that they all travel by train. After loading the containers of food, water, cots, and tents, they boarded their horses in the livestock cars. Bella approached Carlisle and said to him, "Jasper and I can pay our train fare."

Carlisle smiled and patted her shoulder, "Nonsense. You are our guests, and I have a feeling that this is a trip we will never forget."

Once on the train, they saw that the other passengers were also Land Boomers heading to Oklahoma. There were squirming children, crying babies, and adults who tried to sound important and all-knowing about the opportunities that awaited them.

When the Cullens arrived in Oklahoma, they went to the Land Office to register for the race. Bella proudly paid the eighteen-dollar entry fee with her own savings. She looked up at Edward with undisguised glee, and he grinned and winked at her in support. Carlisle also paid the entry fee for an additional claim site.

During the days before the race, they practiced running races and fired guns near the horses to condition them to loud noises. While the others were resting, Bella spent her time with Meteor. The children nearby began to coo and tell Meteor what a beautiful horse he was. Meteor proudly shook his head and mane. Then while Bella was sitting on him and had a firm grip on the reins, Meteor slowly reared and held his stance in the air for a few seconds. The children clapped and cheered for him.

"Meteor, you are such a show-off," Bella laughed and hugged his neck.

Edward and Carlisle spent time talking to the cavalry officers learning about which direction to go the day of the race. Esme saw them talking and offered them slices of cake and coffee. The officers thanked her and offered all the advice they could.

Later that day, Edward and Emmett were riding near the homestead perimeter. Emmett whined, "We should just hide out at one of the claim sites the night before and skip the race. Tomorrow everyone is going to be acting crazy."

Edward side-eyed Emmett and said, "There are plenty of people who might be doing that very thing. Carlisle does not want us to arrive sooner than we are supposed to and risk getting shot or being taken to court. It is dangerous and it will hamper our efforts."

Emmett sighed and said, "I knew you would say that. We can still ride alongside the perimeter to explore the land."

Several hours later, Bella was brushing Meteor's smooth coat. She looked up to see Edward and Emmett riding up, unable to control their laughter. Rosalie looked up at them with narrowed eyes. With her hands on her hips she asked, "What have you two cowboys been doing?"

Edward shook his head and said, "Emmett and I were circling the border of the homestead area. We saw a beautiful piece of land to claim the day of the race. A cavalry soldier saw some people exploring the restricted area and shot into the air. He told everyone to hightail it out of there. People scampered like rabbits to get out."

The night before the race, they all sat outside around a fire to plan out the next day. Carlisle looked up at the first stars in the twilight sky. He had his arm around Esme and gave her a kiss in front of everyone. She giggled and swatted him playfully. He found all of this adventure thrilling and it made him feel young again.

He said, "Bella, we have you to thank for being here. This was all your idea. I had heard about the Land Rush but had not given it a second thought. I realized that we did not need to live under Aro's tyranny, and we should start a new life somewhere else. Tomorrow you and Edward will ride for a homestead site, and the rest of us will go for a town site. Many of those sites are the size of several city blocks. We can divide and sell the land and start up several businesses. Before we left Forks, I sent telegrams to several old friends who will jump at the chance to be investors in our new city. They will be arriving by train soon. We have plans for a doctor's office and a lumber business. We can all see that there will be a building boom. After the race, some of us will take the train home and restock our food supplies. Seth will be joining us to hire builders. In time, we will build a hospital and a library. Alice said she would like to open a dress shop. I am also going to ask Charles Swan to be my business partner. I cannot think of a more scrupulous man to have on my side."

Bella stared at Edward and Carlisle in stunned silence. Her family could go from homelessness to vast wealth in a short time.

The Cullens were going to build an empire in this new land.

Edward said with a smile, "You can have your own bookstore if you like. You have often mentioned that Forks did not have a bookstore."

"My own bookstore?" she whispered in awe. "That is almost too much to even imagine."

Edward said quickly, "Only if you want it. But by tomorrow, this field of tents will be transformed into a city of ten thousand."

Edward took Bella's hand, and they walked into the cool night so they could be alone. He said, "Whatever happens, we will be together. I thought we could get married on our new land. We could build a big house for us, with lots of windows and a view of the meadow."

Bella smiled and sighed with happiness. "We could call our new homestead _Forks Valley_ ," she suggested. "It will be in memory to where we grew up."

"That is an excellent idea," whispered Edward, as he nuzzled her neck and kissed the side of her mouth.

April 22, 1889

By the break of dawn, everyone was up. The morning sky was blue and cloudless. Bella was dressed for the race. Rosalie fixed her silky brown hair so it would not get in her eyes. Alice loaned her a red blouse, a black riding skirt, gloves, and boots. Esme packed a canteen with water and put food in her saddlebag. Bella hugged each of the women to thank them. They were going to stay behind while the others rode to claim the sites.

Jasper made two flags with white fabric. He gave one to Bella and one to Carlisle to stake their claims. He said to Bella, "Secure this to your saddle. Good luck, Bella," then nervously gave her a quick hug.

That morning she stared at the crowd in open-mouthed disbelief. There were 50,000 people assembled at the various entry points. Included in the crowd were some women who had registered for the race. It was a sea of humanity, horses, wagons, and a few bicycles. There were even some people on foot.

"The race will start in one hour," said Edward. "You are going to see some frightening things, but you have to keep moving forward. We are all with you." Edward tipped his black Stetson hat towards Bella and gave her a reassuring wink. Soon Jasper, Emmett, and Carlisle walked up with their horses and greeted Bella.

Jasper asked them to huddle in a circle to discuss strategy. He looked each one in the eye to make sure they were listening. "When the cannon fires, most people will move forward then fan out in different directions." He drew a shape of a fan on the ground. "But we are going to ride along the edge of the railroad. Bella and Edward, take the first homestead site you can. There is some land with a stream. When you get to the claim, pull the numbered marker from the ground and replace it with your flag. Then take the marker to the Land Office right away to register your claim."

Bella looked up at Edward and said, "I love you, Edward. I am so happy we are here together."

Edward hugged Bella close and gave her a fervent kiss. He said in a rough voice, "Let's go get our land."

Bella mounted Meteor, and they moved closer to the starting line. She looked over at Edward, who returned an encouraging smile. Bella's heart soared with Edward at her side. They were about to take part in the greatest horse race in American history. She patted the neck of her beloved horse and said quietly to him, "We have to be very fast today. It is just like racing in the pastures back home. After the race, we can have a nice rest."

Meteor neighed quietly and waited for Bella's signal to start.

Everyone was tense with anticipation. Suddenly, someone on horseback tried to get a head start on everyone.

BANG!

One of the cavalry soldiers shot the rider, and he fell from his horse. Bella gasped in shock and looked over at Edward. His mouth was in a grim line, and he shook his head. "Be ready, Bella," was all he said. Bella nodded, took a deep breath, and looked straight ahead. It seemed that her whole life had prepared her for this moment. Bella silently asked God to protect them while they rode at breakneck speeds. If a rider fell from their horse during the stampede, there would be little chance of surviving.

The starting time was just seconds away. Promptly at high noon, the bugle blew and a cannon boomed. Thousands of people, horses, and wagons lurched forward.

"Meteorrrrr! HYAAAAAAAH!" Bella yelled out and she and Meteor shot forward. Bella kept her head low and looked straight ahead, occasionally glancing over at Edward. Edward glanced back and nodded encouragement.

Off to the left, newspaper reporters frantically wrote about the history being made before their eyes. Photographers took pictures and their cameras shot puffs of smoke. Alice, Rosalie, and Esme were cheering in support, all dignity forgotten.

The sound was thunderous.

There were thousands of horses galloping and people shouting. The sounds of cracking whips filled the air. Bella saw wagons that were not sturdy enough for the race breaking and crashing to the ground, spilling barrels of food and belongings everywhere. Horses unaccustomed to so much uproar reared in fright and threw off their riders. Bella's eyes were wide with terror and her heart pounded furiously. She rode like a fiend to stay ahead of the stampede. With a tight hold on the reins, Bella continued to speed through the crowd, weaving around wagons and horses.

Not far behind her were Edward, Jasper, Carlisle, and Emmett with determined expressions yelling, "YAAAAHH!"

In time, the crowd began to spread out in different directions. Bella looked over her shoulder to see Jasper, Emmett, and Carlisle stay on course for the town sites. Bella and Edward veered off toward the homestead site that was now a short distance away.

Bella saw a numbered stake up ahead. It was on a beautiful piece of land with a stream, shade trees, and a flowering meadow. She was almost there. She looked over her shoulder and saw Edward a ways behind. He also saw the marker and waved one arm, signaling her to stake the claim without him. Although Bella wanted Edward with her, she knew not to lose a single moment.

Bella yelled, "GO! GO! GO!" and used her legs to urge Meteor forward. As she approached the marker, she had Meteor slow down so she could dismount. Her hands shook while she unfastened her flag from her saddle. Almost hyperventilating, she ran up to the marker.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" yelled a man's voice. Startled, Bella turned and saw a scruffy man holding a whiskey bottle. He dropped the bottle and squinted at her. He was of average size, with dirty blond hair tied back with a leather strip.

A few days before, James Huntington had come upon an unfortunate family and had taken their horse, provisions, and lives. Among their possessions, James had found a locket with pictures, an engraved pocket watch, and a newspaper article about the approaching Land Rush. James thought he was entitled to some land as much as anyone else.

He had abandoned the horse and entered the claim site on foot. James then hid from the cavalry patrol in the brush and ravines. Unable to burn a campfire at night, he drank whiskey to stay warm and fell into a deep sleep. He was awakened by the sound of a horse's hoof beats.

He did not expect to see a girl running up with a flag. He did not care how young or how pretty she was; he was going to take her flag and claim this site for himself. Fumbling for his gun, he planned to shoot her and hide the body before the other homesteaders arrived. As he looked down to remove the weapon from his gun belt, he did not take notice of the angry horse charging him. Upon impact, his gun fired and the bullet ricocheted off a boulder, making a loud, resonating sound. Stumbling and hitting his head against a rock, he fell unconscious. A nearby cavalry soldier heard the gunshot and hurriedly rode up to investigate.

Edward could not believe the scene playing out before his eyes and was terrified that he would not arrive soon enough. "Bella!" he yelled as he rode up and jumped off his horse. Bella looked between Edward and James in shock. Edward ran up to Bella and embraced her, out of his mind with worry that she had almost been killed. He stepped back and put his hands on her arms. "Are you all right?" he shouted, looking her over to see if she was hurt.

"Ye-es," she replied, still shaken by the fact that James had appeared out of nowhere. "Meteor saved me from that man."

Edward shook his head in amazement, but suddenly they heard hoof beats and turned to see other riders approaching them. "Bella, the flag!"

Bella nodded nervously, and she yanked out the numbered marker and threw it aside. She grabbed Edward's hand and their eyes met. She cried out, "Together!" They each grasped the flag and pushed it deep into the earth. They kept their hands on the stake, watching the others ride past them in search of their own claims.

The cavalry soldier tied James' hands behind his back and made him walk all the way back to the officers' quarters. They would be very interested in the engraved watch and picture locket he had in his pocket.

Edward waited for everyone to ride out of sight before he swept Bella up and swung her around. He laughed triumphantly, and they both whooped and yelled like cowboys. Bella's face was glowing with joy and relief from their victory. He embraced her tightly to kiss her and said, "This is just the beginning of many happy years together."


End file.
